The Secrets of the Stone
by lovesaphira
Summary: NOT being rewritten. lol. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. hehe :D Hermione has something Voldemort wants. And he'll do anything to get it back. Not sure what it's genre is, hopefully i chose right :D
1. Meeting Lord Voldemort

**This fanfiction has absolutely nothing to do with the Philosopher's stone. lol. Just thought i'd say taht before you got the wrong idea. **

**1 –Meeting Lord Voldemort**

Lucius Malfoy stood before Lord Voldemort, head bent. "My Lord, we've got what you asked for" he reported, still not looking at Voldemort.

Voldemort smirked. "Excellent. It seems you are not as useless as I thought" he replied. "Bring her to me. I want to talk to her" he ordered.

Lucius straightened up and nodded. "Of course, My Lord. I'll go get her now" he said before leaving the room.

Voldemort waited. Soon Potter would die at his hand. He had realized that chasing Potter evidently just didn't work. But he also knew what did. With the right leverage, Potter would come to Voldemort of his own accord.

And Voldemort had the perfect leverage in his grasp.

The door flew open and Lucius came in, dragging an irate Hermione Granger with him. "Let go of me. Whatever you're planning it won't work" she shouted before realizing where she was.

All words failed her as she saw Lord Voldemort sitting before her, staring at her. She had stopped squirming now. The shock of realizing she was a prisoner of, not just Lucius Malfoy, but Lord Voldemort as well was enough to make anyone stunned.

Lucius let go of Hermione and she watched him give her wand to Voldemort. Voldemort took the wand and inspected it interestedly before motioning to Lucius who left the room. This left Hermione in a very dangerous predicament.

Pocketing Hermione's wand, Voldemort stood up and came towards her slowly, amused by her determination to hide her fear. "Do you know why you are here, Miss Granger?" he asked quietly.

Hermione scowled. "To be used as a way of luring Harry to you" she replied.

Voldemort smirked. "Very good, I see you are not as stupid as many of my previous prisoners" he derided

"It won't work. Harry will know it's a trap. He won't come" she said defiantly.

"Of course he knows. That's the beauty of these traps, Miss Granger. They always know from the start that it's a trap yet they come anyway. It has always been a weakness of Potter's. He will come and you will be the one to draw him here" he whispered.

He was standing right in front of Hermione now and the difference in height was intimidating. Voldemort towered over Hermione by at least half her height.

But Hermione did everything she could to suppress her fear. "He won't fall for it. He's smarter than that".

"He has before, what's to say he won't do it again?" he pointed out.

Hermione shook her head. "He's learnt from it. He knows not to now".

Voldemort smirked. "I think you're wrong. You see, Miss Granger, he cares for you. And he will come to your rescue regardless of what it will mean for him. That is the weakness of love" he sneered.

"Love is not weakness. It is strength. It is the thing that keeps everyone fighting. It's the reason why people go home at the end of the day. Because they love".

Voldemort pointed his wand at Hermione. "It's unwise to test me, Mudblood. You are not the first to argue with me on the issue. It has become quite tiresome to me" he spat.

Hermione remained defiant. "Only because you know that you are wrong. You are empty. You are alone. No one would ever love you and so you despise it. But the fact is if you truly experienced love then you would know it is not weakness. Love is what Dumbledore fights for. Love is what everyone, including your death eaters feel. Love is what stopped you from killing Harry five times-"

"And it is love that will bring Potter to me now" Voldemort cut in, glowering with rage. "It is because Potter loves that he will come for you. It is love that will bring Potter to his death. Love is not strength. It makes people weak. It does nothing more" he shouted.

Hermione smirked. "Harry has defied you time and time again because he loves. Deny it all you want, Voldemort, but you will never win. You know it. Harry has beaten you every time and he will continue to beat you until you are dead" she scorned.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. Hermione knew she had gone too far.

"Crucio!" Voldemort screamed at her. Hermione fell to the floor in agony. Pain shot all over her body, like white hot knives. It was like she was on fire, with the flames biting at her, torturing her. She couldn't see. She couldn't hear. She could only feel the pain that wouldn't go away. Her scream was impossible to hear over Voldemort's laugh. Surely she would die from it.

And then it lifted. Just as suddenly as it came, it left. Hermione still ached all over from the pain of the Cruciatus curse.

"The morale of the story is that if Potter doesn't come then you will die. He knows that. He couldn't live with himself if he allowed you to be killed at my hand. He will come to me. And I will destroy him when he does" Voldemort said to her menacingly.

Once Hermione recovered from the effects of the Cruciatus curse she stood up to face Voldemort. "He…won't…come" she uttered, now completely exhausted.

Voldemort just smirked. "We shall see" he replied simply, walking back to his chair. "You may take her now, Lucius" he said, smiling to himself.

Hermione whirled around to see Lucius Malfoy lingering in the shadows.

Lucius came forward and bowed to Voldemort. "Forgive the intrusion, My Lord" he replied before taking hold of Hermione. But Hermione was stubborn and refused to go with him.

Voldemort laughed softly. "Of course you are more than welcome to stay here with me, Hermione. But I somehow doubt you will enjoy the company" he mocked.

Hermione scowled. She still refused to go with Lucius. "Give me back my wand, Voldemort" she demanded.

Voldemort took out her wand and twirled it through his fingers idly. "I don't think you'll be needing it, Miss Granger" he replied with a smirk.

Hermione was about to go up and get it when Lucius grabbed hold of her and dragged her out of the room, Hermione shouting protests as they went.

Voldemort was still twirling Hermione's wand between his fingers, regarding it curiously. Having the Mudblood here was going to be a very interesting experience.


	2. The Rainbow Stone

**The Rainbow Stone**

Hermione was trapped. She had never thought a cellar could be so big but it seemed that Lucius was using it as a temporary prison because there were cells in it. Hermione was locked in one of the cells. Lucius had left her there what seemed to be three days ago. But she couldn't tell. She had no way of knowing what time it was. Nor was it terribly important.

For now she had to focus on a way to escape. She had to get out of here. She couldn't let Harry be drawn into a trap that would kill him. She knew he wouldn't survive this one if he came. This was Voldemort's territory and Harry wouldn't stand a chance here. Hermione had spent the three days she was in the cell for hoping that Harry would stay away.

"He won't come for me, he won't come for me, he won't come for me" she muttered over and over again, trying to convince herself that the inevitable would not happen. For Voldemort was right. Harry would come for her. Once he knew what danger she was in he would go to the ends of the Earth if it meant he would find her.

The only way she could prevent it is if she escaped before Harry came up with a way to rescue her. She would have to get her wand, though. No way was she leaving it in the hands of Lord Voldemort. But how could she get it? How could she get out of Lucius Malfoy's cellar, for that matter?

There must be a key…but why would there be one just lying around?

So far Voldemort had made sure she hadn't died from hunger or thirst. She had often talked to the house elf that brought her food and water every day. Maybe she could get the house elf to help her.

As if on cue the cellar door opened and the house elf appeared with her meal. "Hi Binky" she greeted the elf.

"Good afternoon, Miss. Binky has come to bring you your food" the house elf replied. He snapped his fingers and the tray teleported to the inside of Hermione's cell.

"Binky, could you please do me a favour?" she asked.

Binky shook his head. "Master has forbidden Binky from helping you, miss. Binky can not disobey orders".

Hermione wasn't ready to give up yet. "You wouldn't be caught for it, Binky. No one would know" she persisted.

"Binky knows what Miss wants. Miss wants Binky to set her free. Master has warned Binky of this and Binky cannot disobey his master" Binky refused.

"Please, Binky. You wouldn't have to use your magic. You could just find the key for me. I promise I'll help you keep it a secret" she pleaded.

"Miss has been kind to Binky. Master has never shown Binky kindness. Binky could help young Miss escape. But Binky would be in awful trouble if master found out" he muttered, weighing up his options.

Hermione tried one last time. "No one would find out. There's no one around" she told him. Binky nodded. "Ok. Binky will help young Miss. But Binky will have to punish himself afterwards. Binky will have disobeyed master" he said as he left the room.

Hermione waited for him to return. She did not touch her food. She was starving but she refused to touch anything that came from Lucius' kitchen.

Binky came back moments later with the key to the cell. "Master didn't see Binky. But you must hurry. Master said something about checking on you, young Miss" he warned, handing Hermione the key. Hermione nodded and unlocked the cell door. She smiled at Binky. "Thank you, Binky. You can come with me if you want. You don't have to stay here" she offered.

But Binky shook his head. "Binky can't leave Master until he is set free. And Master will never free Binky" he said sadly.

Hermione nodded. "Ok then. I have to hurry and get my wand" she said before leaving the cellar. She slipped through the house, careful not to make a sound. It would be easy for someone to spot her if they came past. She knew she couldn't afford to be caught again. She made her way to the room where Voldemort stayed. She was sure it was the biggest room in the house. She found the room but was afraid to open the door. What if Voldemort was in there? He would catch her immediately.

She sighed and peeked through the key hole. If he was in there then there was no chance of retrieving her wand. She couldn't see him in there. His chair was empty. She gritted her teeth and opened the door slowly. There was no one in the room. She slipped into the room. She thought it to be very unlikely that Voldemort would carry her wand with him. She began her search. There weren't many places in the room he could hide it. She searched behind the chair, under the bed and in the cabinets and draws.

But she could not find it. After rechecking every possible hiding place she was certain that the wand wasn't in the room. Voldemort could still have it, for all she knew.

She did a quick once over before deciding to leave. It definitely wasn't there. However something caught her eye before she left. She turned around to see something glittering inside one of the cabinets.

"Strange, there wasn't anything in there before" she muttered, walking over to it. She opened the cabinet and saw a stone sitting there. It was the most beautiful stone she'd ever seen. It shone with all the colours of the rainbow. She picked it up to examine it closer. _Why would Voldemort want a stone like this?_ She wondered. She sighed and pocketed the stone. What she really needed was her wand. She was reluctant to leave without it.

Hermione jumped slightly when the stone began to emit a white glow. She took the stone out and studied it. Maybe there was some power in it after all. Then her eyes fell upon the cabinet she had found the stone in. Sitting on top of the cabinet was her wand.

"What?" she exclaimed quietly. She went to pick up her wand. She was even more curious when she found it wasn't an illusion. "Strange" she muttered. She wasn't going to complain, though. She'd found what she was looking for. Now she could leave. She hurried out of the room, being sure to close the door behind her.

As she made her to the stairwell she could hear voices coming from the hall. "I'm sorry, My Lord. I didn't think she would escape. There was no way she could" Lucius pleaded. Hermione found it amusing that Lucius could ever be intimidated or bossed around by anyone.

"You have disappointed me again, Lucius. Crucio!" he cried. Lucius screams could be heard echoing through the house. When the curse was lifted Lucius spoke again. "I'm sorry, My Lord. It won't happen again" he promised.

Then Hermione could hear Voldemort's laughter. "I can guarantee you it won't, Lucius. Especially seeing as she won't be locked in your cellar any longer" he informed him.

Then his footsteps could be heard coming towards the stairs. Hermione shrank back. She wouldn't let herself be caught now. Not when she was so close to being free of this place. She scrambled back as far as she could go, and hid herself in a small closet down the end of the hallway.

There was a small crack in the door, allowing Hermione to watch as Voldemort and Lucius came up the stairs. "Are you sure she'd come up here, My Lord?" Lucius asked hesitantly.

Voldemort smirked. "I'm sure of it. No doubt she'd come up looking for her wand. However she must've realized by now that I-"

He stopped suddenly. Hermione watched as he withdrew his hand from his pocket. She then saw an angry gleam in his eyes. "It's impossible" he hissed. He disappeared into his room and it was a moment before he came back out, now livid with fury. "The Mudblood has found her wand after all".

Lucius' eyes widened. "Then she'll be gone" he guessed.

Voldemort was silent for a moment. "No, I think she's still here" He said, looking around slowly. Hermione silently pleaded for him not to come her way. She wouldn't say any spells for fear of being heard.

"Search the house" Voldemort ordered. "She's here, I can feel it".

Lucius nodded and headed down stairs. Voldemort waited for a moment, surveying the hallway. He could feel her presence. He was, however, having difficulties in pinpointing her location. He then followed Lucius downstairs.

Hermione waited a few minutes to make sure Voldemort had gone before coming out of her hiding place. She crept to the stairs. No one was there. She was worried about going down there. Voldemort and Lucius had her cornered while they were searching the downstairs area. That is, while Lucius searched the Downstairs area. There was no way Voldemort would join the search.

Hermione sighed. It was the only way out. She crept down the stairs, careful to keep an eye out for anyone approaching. No one was there. No doubt they were searching all the rooms. She glanced around the landing once more before hurrying to the doors. She opened them silently and slipped out. But not before catching sight of Voldemort and Lucius coming out in to the hall as she closed the door.

And there was no denying it – They had seen her too.

Hermione ran. She didn't know where she was running to but she had to get out of there. She couldn't be caught again. She refused to go back to that cellar.

But running was useless. Both wizards knew how to apparate. She had forgotten this detail until she heard a loud crack. Then Lucius Malfoy appeared in front of her. Of course it would be Lucius. Voldemort wouldn't waste his time chasing after one muggle-born girl.

Hermione took out her wand but Lucius was faster than her "Expelliarmus" he shouted, disarming her. Hermione gasped and backed away from the Death Eater.

But before anything else happened, another voice was heard.

"Stupefy!"

The spell hit Lucius and sent him stumbling to the ground, unconscious

Hermione darted forward and snatched her wand from Lucius before looking around for her rescuer. Although she couldn't see anyone she knew who it was. She'd recognized that voice straight away. So, apparently, had Voldemort for he appeared behind Hermione a moment later and grabbed her around the neck, holding his wand to her with his other hand

"Come to save your girlfriend at last, have you Potter?" he called out mockingly.

Harry removed his invisibility cloak and glared at Voldemort but didn't say anything.

Voldemort smirked. "I knew you would turn up sooner, or later. Now you are mine, Potter". He pointed his wand at Harry but Hermione kicked Voldemort in the groin, making him double over in pain. Smirking, Hermione ran over to Harry. "Harry, you shouldn't have come for me" she scolded. However she was unable to hide the wide grin from spreading across her face.

But Voldemort had recovered quicker than expected and was now pointing his wand at the pair. "I told you he would come, Miss Granger. Now I have no use for either of you" he sneered, moving his wand from Hermione to Harry. "Avada…" he began. But before he could finish the curse Hermione disarmed him. "Expelliarmus!" she cried. Voldemort's wand went soaring out of his hand and Hermione quickly caught it.

Voldemort glowered at Hermione. He disapparated and re-apparated right behind Hermione. Harry tried to come to her rescue but Voldemort snatched his wand from Hermione and pointed it at Harry again. "Don't move, Potter. I will deal with you soon enough" he snapped. "Stupefy" he said softly. He watched Harry fall to the ground before focusing on Hermione. "You have something of mine, Miss Granger. I think it's time you gave it back" he whispered.

Hermione shivered. "I…don't know what you're talking about" she said very fast. Voldemort smirked and a murderous gleam entered his eyes. "Maybe I should prove you wrong, then" he sneered. "Accio Rainbow Stone" he muttered. Hermione felt the stone in her pocket react to the spell. It came out of her pocket and soared up to Voldemort. Before he could take it, Hermione snatched it back. She elbowed Voldemort in the stomach and stepped away from him, hurrying to help Harry.

"Ennervate" she muttered, pointing her wand at Harry. Harry instantly recovered and was on his feet in seconds. "Harry, are you ok?" she asked. But she had not noticed Voldemort move up behind her and she let out a yelp of surprise as she was yanked back.

"Hermione!" Harry cried. He pointed his wand at Voldemort but Voldemort merely laughed.

"You'd dare curse me now, Potter? When there is a chance your friend will get hit?" he goaded.

Harry hesitated before lowering his wand slightly.

"_Petrificus Totalus…_"

--

**ooh cliffhanger, lol. Stay tuned to find out who attacked who.**

**And yes that did sound rather lame. haha**


	3. Hermione's Dream

**Ok, i'm an idiot. lol. i took down like three chapters to fix them up and change them so the sotry could go in a different direction to what it was currently going in. Then i read through them and realized that i didn't want to change them. lol. partly because i'm lazy and partly because i have come up with a way to change the story a little without changing these chapters. So i'm posting three chapters that have already been up. I've changed them a bit but not much so you don't have to read them again if you dont't want to.**

**If you haven't read my story yet then by all means, read and enjoy. lol. The above was just for people who had subscribed to the story :D**

**3 – Hermione's Dream**

Harry watched Voldemort seize up and crash to the ground before looking around for whoever cast it.

Fred and George were standing behind Voldemort with their wands out.

"Thought we'd come and see what the commotion was about" Fred said, putting his wand away.

Hermione was confused. "What are you two doing here?" she asked.

Goerge shrugged. "The Order were too slow in coming up with a plan so we thought we'd make our own" he explained.

"It was a last minute plan" Harry added.

"Oh" Hermione nodded. "But where's Ron?" she asked. She thought it odd that Ron would let them go without him.

"Fred and George are here to apparate us out of here quickly" Harry replied. "We left as soon as we made the plan and there wasn't enough time to wake him".

Hermione nodded and her eyes trailed back to the immobile Voldemort. She saw that both he and Lucius were already recovering. "We'd better get out of here. They won't stay like that for long" she cautioned.

George winked at her. "Right you are, Hermione. Now hold on tight and I'll apparate you back to the Burrow" he instructed.

Fred looked at Harry. "It's a necessity, Harry. Can't be avoided, I'm afraid" he sniggered, holding out his arm for Harry to grab onto. Harry feigned a grimace before holding on tightly. Then all four of them disapparated together.

Their arrival back at the Burrow was not as secret as Harry had planned. Mrs. Weasley was standing outside with a disgruntled look on her face. Harry smiled and remembered the time when Mrs. Weasley had caught them returning during the night four years ago.

When Mrs. Weasley saw them she marched over to them, scowling. "Just what do you three think you're doing, sneaking out during the night? You could have been killed" she began. "It's bad enough that you're out at night at all, let alone going to Malfoy Manor" she snarled.

"Mrs. Weasley I-" Harry began before being cut across by Mrs. Weasley. "I know Harry and we were all worried about Hermione as well but the Order was working on it already. There was no reason for you to go there and risk your own life like that. I was terrified".

"Mum we-" Fred started.

"And you two are no better, convincing Harry to sneak out in the middle of the night like that. It really is a miracle none of you were killed" she repeated.

She sighed and composed herself a bit. "Now all three of you get to bed" she snapped. Harry, Fred and George didn't need to be told twice. They hurried in the house, up the stairs and to their rooms.

Mrs. Weasley made sure they were upstairs before turning back to Hermione. "Hermione, dear, are you alright?" she asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Weasley. They didn't do anything to me" she replied.

Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Just glad you're back. You had us all worried there for a while. Now you'd better go to bed as well. I can't imagine you'd have been very comfortable at Lucius Malfoy's" she said, herding Hermione into the house. "Careful not to wake Ginny, dear" she added. Hermione nodded and headed up to Ginny's room. She was exhausted and welcomed a good night's sleep. But before she could find Ginny's room she was pulled into another room. It was Ron's.

"Hey!" she cried out, startled.

"Ssh" Ron shushed her. "We don't want to alert mum" he whispered.

"Well then maybe you shouldn't have jumped out at me, Ronald" she snapped.

Hermione had not noticed that Harry was in the room at the time until he spoke. "We had to talk to you though, Hermione. You've been at Malfoy Manor, after all" he said calmly.

Hermione tried to say something but her exhaustion claimed her and she collapsed. Ron was there to quickly catch her before she hit the ground and he carried her to the bed. "Are you ok, Hermione?" he asked, worried.

"I'm fine, Ron. You don't need to be fussing over me every two seconds" she retorted. Then she realized that wasn't fair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it" she apologized.

Ron shrugged. "S'all right. You've been through a lot".

Hermione tried unsuccessfully to fight back the tears. "I just…I couldn't…" she trailed off, unable to say anything.

Ron put an arm around Hermione. "It's ok, you're back with us now. There's no way You-Know-Who can get to us with all the protection from the Order" he told her.

Hermione pushed away from Ron after a while. Ron didn't think it was a good idea for Hermione to get up but she was determined. "Oh don't be Silly, Ron. I just need a good night's sleep. I haven't slept since they brought me to Malfoy Manor" she told him.

Harry came to join them on the bed. "Are you sure you're ok, Hermione? You've been through an awful lot".

Hermione nodded. "I'll be ok in the morning" she assured them. "Once I get to bed, anyway" she laughed before heading for the door. "I'll see you two in the morning" she said in a fake cheery voice.

Harry looked at Ron once Hermione had left. "Something's wrong with her, that's for sure" he noted.

Ron nodded. "Yeah but we won't find out until morning" he replied, shrugging. "Might as well go to sleep".

Harry nodded in agreement and yawned before getting into his bed. Hermione would have calmed down enough in the morning to tell them what happened.

Hermione staggered into Ginny's room. Ginny didn't wake up. She was deeply sleeping. Hermione saw the bed next to Ginny and made her way over to it, collapsing on it as soon as she got close enough. She attempted to pull the covers over her but fell asleep before she could.

Hermione smiled. She loved sitting by the lake. It was her favourite place at Hogwarts. She, Harry and Ron all liked to sit at the lake to relax after exams or during breaks in their studying.

Then she jumped as someone covered her eyes with their hands. "Stop it, Harry" she giggled. Harry removed his hands from her eyes and sat next to her. "What are you doing out here, Hermione?" he asked her.

Hermione shrugged. "I'm just taking a break. All this studying is getting to me" she replied.

Harry smiled. "Well that's good. I was worried I'd never get to spend any time with you" he said before leaning in to kiss her. Hermione eagerly returned the kiss.

Then Harry pulled away from her. "Do you trust me?" he whispered.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I trust you" she replied.

"Close your eyes" Harry instructed. Hermione did as he suggested. Then she waited.

Harry moved closer to whisper something to Hermione.

"I'm coming for you, Hermione"

Hermione's eyes snapped open and she jumped up. Harry was gone. In his place was Lord Voldemort.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, suddenly frightened.

Voldemort smirked. "I think you know, already" he sneered.

"If I knew, why would I ask?" she pointed out.

Voldemort laughed. "Interesting. Not many attempt to challenge me intellectually" he said softly.

Hermione smirked. "Maybe they all realized you're not very good at it" she jeered before running away from him. Voldemort shook his head in amusement and followed her. Neither of them were going anywhere anytime soon.

Hermione ran. She had to get help.

There was only one problem – Hogwarts was completely deserted. "Where am I going to go?" she wondered aloud.

"My guess is you'll be cornered no matter which way you turn" Voldemort replied as he came up behind her.

Hermione's eyes widened. "What is it you want?" she asked.

Voldemort scowled. "I want the stone you stole from me" he said, annoyed.

"I don't have any stones" she replied before running again. Her legs seemed to be carrying her as she wasn't thinking about where she was going. Only that she had to get away. Then she found herself out the front of Dumbledore's office. The Gargoyle sprang aside of its own accord. Hermione was shocked. She didn't even expect that to happen in her dream. But she didn't have time to question it. She had to hide before Voldemort found her. She stepped onto the moving staircase and ran up it. There was no time to wait for it to take her to Dumbledore's office. When she reached Dumbledore's office she knocked. There was no reply. The door was unlocked so she let herself in. Naturally there was no one there. Hermione groaned. She and Voldemort were the only two people in the entire school.

"Perfect" she muttered.

Then she heard the staircase move again. Someone was coming up. "Three guesses who" she said before looking for somewhere to hide.

But it was too late. The door flew open and Voldemort appeared there. Hermione was cornered. She backed further into the room, trying to get as much distance from Voldemort as possible.

Voldemort moved into the room and then stopped, smirking at Hermione. "I do believe you have nowhere to run" he sneered.

Hermione was against the wall now. "Please, I swear I don't have your stone" she lied. She was not a very good liar and she knew Voldemort saw straight through it.

"Do you even know what that stone is, Miss Granger?" Voldemort asked curiously. Hermione shook her head. "What stone?" she replied nervously.

Voldemort smirked. "One can only keep up there pretence for so long" he said idly, reaching for his wand.

"Even if I did have it you wouldn't be able to get it out of my dream" she told him.

Voldemort nodded. "I will get it from you, eventually. It's not yours, after all" he said lightly. "You are right, though. In this dream my hands are tied. But don't think I won't come for it" he sneered.

Hermione's eyes widened. "What are you going to do?"

"That will remain a secret for now, Miss Granger" he said mysteriously.

Hermione looked worried. "You're going to kill me?" she asked cautiously.

Voldemort shook his head, smirking. "You're not going to be getting away with it that easily. However you did steal from me and for that you need to be punished" he sneered, "Crucio!"

And once again Hermione felt the torturous pain of the Cruciatus curse. She let out a scream of pain as the curse shot through her, becoming more unbearable every second. It definitely hurt more than the first time. After what seemed like hours, Voldemort lifted the curse.

Hermione picked herself up from the ground. "I didn't think-"

"It would hurt?" Voldemort cut her off. "Ah but anything can happen in a dream. It can be so bad that something that causes death in the real world would only cause immense pain. Would you like another demonstration?"

Before Hermione could say anything the Cruciatus curse hit her again. Hermione managed to talk this time. "Please…stop" she begged.

Voldemort laughed softly before obliging. Hermione was aching all over from the Cruciatus curse. She was unable to stand this time because her legs wouldn't comply. Voldemort took this opportunity to approach her.

"No… stay away" she told him defiantly.

Voldemort merely laughed. "I'm coming for you" he said menacingly, getting closer. "And when I do, I'll get my stone back and you will suffer even more than you are now" he continued threateningly. "You can't stop me Hermione. Once I've come, I'll kill Potter and you will watch before I do the same to you".

Hermione shook her head. "No, please…"

Voldemort was practically on top of her now. He picked her up from the ground using his wand and slammed her against the wall. "But don't think it will be that easy" he whispered to her. "When I'm finished with you, you'll be begging me to kill you" he sneered before dropping her. He pointed his wand at her again.

"No, stop" she began but it was too late.

"Crucio!"

Many would get bored of using the same spell all the time but Voldemort relished it. Causing pain was always fun to him. He watched Hermione wither and scream on the ground in pain. He held the curse there for longer than he'd done previously.

Hermione tried to stem it but nothing was working. Then everything went black…

"Hermione, wake up" Ginny said sharply for what seemed like the hundredth time. She could tell Hermione was having a nightmare. And it was a bad one, by the sound of it. Hermione had been screaming and mumbling for ages now. "Wake up, Hermione, wake up" she shouted, shaking Hermione. But Hermione still wouldn't wake.

The door burst open and Mrs. Weasley walked in, followed by Harry, Ron, Fred and George.

"What on Earth is going on in here" Mrs. Weasley demanded.

"Mum, it's Hermione. She's having a nightmare and she won't wake" Ginny explained, trying to keep back tears.

But before Mrs. Weasley could get there Hermione let out a loud scream and she woke with a start. "No, stop please" she shouted before realizing she was awake. She looked around her. Ginny, Ron, Harry, Fred, George and Mrs. Weasley were all staring at her. She went pink with embarrassment. She could only imagine all the noise she was making. "I'm sorry for waking you all" she apologized before breaking down in tears.

Harry came over to comfort Hermione. "What happened?" he asked.

Hermione looked up at them all. "It was Voldemort. He came to me in my dream. He thought I had something of his. He wanted it back. He kept…" she trailed off.

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Poor girl's hysterical. I'll go whip something up to calm her down" she said before exiting the room, followed by Fred and George. Harry, Ron and Ginny all stayed in the room with Hermione. Ron sat on the edge of the bed with Ginny. "It's ok, Hermione, it's over now".

However Hermione shook her head. "No, it's not. It'll never be over until Voldemort is gone" she said, calming down a bit.

Ron shook his head. "Blimey, I thought only Harry had these weird dreams" he said to no one in particular.

"Ron this isn't funny" Ginny scolded. "Don't worry, Hermione. He can't get to any of us while the Order is here to protect us" she reassured.

But Hermione didn't agree. "I don't think they're going to be able to stop him".

Then Mrs. Weasley returned with Fred and George behind her. "Here you go, Hermione. This will calm you down" she said kindly, handing a mug to Hermione. Hermione smiled and drank it. She immediately felt better. "Thanks Mrs. Weasley. I'm sorry to cause such trouble" she apologized.

"Oh don't worry dear. Everyone has bad dreams" she said before going away again.

Hermione just lay there silently. Something told her this wouldn't end with bad dreams.


	4. Voldemort's Flaw

**4 – Voldemort's Flaw**

Hermione, Ron, Harry and Ginny all stood before the fireplace, ready to return to Hogwarts. It had been three days since Hermione had been rescued from Malfoy Manor and she was feeling a lot better, though still quite anxious about Voldemort's intentions. She hadn't forgotten the dream she had about him and was certain he was going to live up to his promise.

Mrs. Weasley was standing at the Fireplace to say goodbye before they departed. She hugged them all before offering them the floo powder "Stay safe, all of you" she reminded them. Then they left one after the other. Harry went first followed by Ron. Then it was Hermione's turn. Mrs. Weasley gave her an extra hug before she took the floo powder. "Try not to dwell on your time at Malfoy Manor, Hermione dear" she said affectionately before standing back and watching as Hermione entered the fireplace and disappeared for Hogwarts.

Hermione arrived in Professor McGonagall's office moments later. Professor McGonagall looked up as she arrived. "Oh Dumbledore would like a word with you, Miss Granger" she said, indicating the parchment on her desk. Hermione took the parchment and left Professor McGonagall's office. She met Harry and Ron outside it. "Dumbledore wants to see me" She told them.

"Not surprising, really" Ron replied. "He probably wants to talk to you about You-Know-Who".

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Well I'll see you two in the common room" she said before hurrying to Dumbledore's office.

"Acid Pops" she said to the stone gargoyle. The gargoyle sprang aside instantly and Hermione stepped on the staircase to meet Dumbledore.

"Ah Miss Granger. I trust your return went off without a hitch" he greeted, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. Hermione took the hint and sat down.

"Yes sir."

"I know you'd rather not talk about it, Hermione, but it's important that you tell me everything that happened to you while you were at Malfoy Manor" he said, not unkindly.

A pained expression crossed Hermione's face. "I wasn't there very long. Only a few days, I think" she replied evasively.

Dumbledore nodded. "It's a good thing Harry was able to put together such a speedy recovery mission".

"They didn't do much, Professor. After they locked me in the cellar they didn't come to check on me once. They only sent the house elf down to bring me food" Hermione said, trying to get out of telling her tale.

"Hermione it's important we know".

Hermione sighed. "They didn't tell me anything important. Lucius Malfoy brought me to Voldemort as soon as I got there. All he told me was that he was going to use me to get to Harry" she explained.

"Yes that is what we guessed."

Hermione hesitated. "I…made him angry" she said quietly.

Dumbledore was curious. "Oh? How so?" he asked, intrigued.

"I didn't mean to. I just didn't want to show that I was afraid. He could already see it though. He said that it's Harry's love that would destroy him. I didn't believe it so I argued against him. I shouldn't have, though. He was furious. I knew he wanted to do much more than just the Cruciatus curse."

"Voldemort has had many arguments on that particular subject" Dumbledore commented.

Hermione nodded. "I knew I was crossing the line but I just couldn't understand why he disregards love so much".

Dumbledore sighed. "It has always been Voldemort's way to dismiss love" he explained.

"I know. But he did have a point. That's why I kept arguing. If Harry didn't care about us he wouldn't be caught in the traps every time".

Dumbledore shook his head. "Voldemort will never understand the power of love. He thinks that love is weak because of its influence over people. He is deluded. If he understood what love truly meant then he wouldn't have been destroyed fifteen years ago. I have told Harry this many times. It is important that everyone understands this because it is Voldemort's true flaw. The only thing that can be used against him successfully" he clarified.

Hermione nodded thoughtfully. "Sir…while I was at the Weasley's I had this dream" she told him.

Dumbledore looked at her curiously. "What sort of dream?" he asked.

"It was about Voldemort, sir. But it wasn't like Harry's dream. In this dream Voldemort came to me" she explained.

Dumbledore motioned for her to continue.

"He just…appeared there. He wanted something from me. Some sort of stone. I tried to get away from him but he kept following me. He cornered me in your office" she said, pausing. She saw a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes but his expression remained serious. Then she continued. "He warned me that he was coming. That he was going to get his stone back and that he was going to get revenge. But I don't understand why the stone would be so important".

She didn't say anything after that. She was waiting for Dumbledore to say something. "Do you have this stone, Hermione?" he asked.

Hermione nodded. "I did take it but I…I dropped it in the woods outside Lucius'. Voldemort mustn't have seen it" she told him.

Dumbledore had that expression on his face again. Hermione could tell he knew she wasn't telling him the truth. However Dumbledore did not press the issue. "What did the stone look like?" he asked.

Hermione hesitated for a moment. "It wasn't an opal. It was more like a diamond but it shone with every colour of the rainbow".

Dumbledore nodded. Hermione could tell her words confirmed what he was thinking.

"Do you know what it is, sir?" Hermione asked.

"I thought Voldemort might try to get his hands on a Rainbow Stone. I just didn't think he'd ever find one" she said absent-mindedly.

Hermione looked confused. "A Rainbow Stone? I've never heard of that before".

Dumbledore smiled. "I wouldn't expect you to, Hermione. Those stones are very rare and there aren't many wizards or witches that know of them" he replied. "Only three were made. It's no surprise Voldemort would want one. Rainbow Stones do two things. They can determine how powerful a witch or wizard is that comes in contact with it. They have a colour-code and the different colours determine the power of the witch or wizard that came in contact with it" he explained.

"But I saw every colour" Hermione interjected curiously.

"Yes. There aren't many who can see that. It is the highest level and only the most powerful witches and wizards can see it".

Hermione's eyes widened. "But I'm not that powerful" she exclaimed.

"Apparently you are. But that's not the only thing the stone does. The Rainbow Stone has the ability to magnify the powers of a witch or wizard. The fact that one is in Voldemort's hands is very worrying".

"You think he'll use the stone against the Order?" she asked.

"I'm sure of it" Dumbledore replied.

Hermione was silent for a moment. No wonder Voldemort was so desperate to get the stone. If his power was magnified he'd be unstoppable.

"Voldemort would see the stone the same way I did. He would see the rainbow" she muttered. "If the rainbow is the most powerful level then Voldemort's power would be too great to stop".

Dumbledore nodded in agreement. "It's true that it would magnify his power to an alarming extent. But that won't make him invincible. His power would only be magnified in the presence of the stone. Once it is gone Voldemort's power will be reduced to normal" he pointed out.

"When he finds the stone he'll keep it on him at all times. It'll make him unbeatable" Hermione countered.

Dumbledore smiled, slightly amused. "Hermione, you seem to have forgotten our previous discussion. Voldemort has weaknesses, just like any other man" he reminded her.

"Oh right, he underestimates love" she derided. "Love will conquer him in the end, I'm sure".

"Judging by your sarcasm I take it you don't agree?" Dumbledore sighed. "It seems both you and Harry seem to underestimate this flaw".

Hermione sighed. "I just don't understand how it could mean so much. He's a really powerful Wizard. How could love destroy him?" she asked.

Dumbledore smiled again. "I think if you recall the events that happened fifteen years ago you might see the answer. Voldemort always underestimates love. Therefore, when he intended to kill baby Harry, he did not count on it to protect Harry. Therefore he was defeated, for the moment. Despite what happened at Godric's Hollow, Voldemort still doesn't understand love's power. He will never learn from his mistakes and it is this that will be his undoing, no matter how powerful he will become" he explained.

Hermione shook her head slowly. "It seems impossible"

"I'm sure it does, Hermione. But many thought that surviving the killing curse was impossible. That theory was proved incorrect at Voldemort's downfall."

Hermione was silent again after that. Voldemort didn't have the rainbow stone. She did. While she was at Hogwarts there was no way he could get the stone. He would not dare to take Hogwarts while Dumbledore was still alive. The stone would be safe, surely. But while she had it, Voldemort would pursue her. He wouldn't leave her alone until he got the stone back. And when he did? He said he would get revenge. He would kill her. Things weren't looking good. But she definitely would not let the stone fall into Voldemort's hands. The thought of him becoming so powerful terrified her and she wasn't about to let him win.

Finally Hermione looked back at Dumbledore. "All the same, it would be better if Voldemort can't use the stone at all" she said.

"I think, for now, the stone is perfectly safe in your hands, Hermione" he agreed. Hermione wasn't surprised he knew. No one had ever been able to lie to Dumbledore successfully.

Dumbledore smiled kindly at her. "The few people who know about the stone the better, Hermione" he cautioned.

Hermione knew that the conversation was over. She got up to leave, feeling a little bit awkward. "Well…thanks professor" she said before heading to the door. Dumbledore didn't say anything so she took her cue and left quickly.

***

Voldemort was fuming. It had been a week since Harry Potter slipped through his fingers…again. And to make matter worse, Hermione Granger now had the Rainbow Stone. He was beyond angry. He was furious. He was determined to get the Rainbow Stone back, and to make the Mudblood pay. He had also found the perfect way to do that. His plan would not only see the return of the Rainbow Stone, but also bring Harry Potter to him. The problem was he wasn't sure whether his plan would work yet. He had sent Yaxley to do some research on the method he had chosen. He was determined to get over the snag that Dumbledore had pointed out last year. And if the plan did work then it would take a while to carry out. But he was willing to be patient if it meant he could accomplish everything in one step.

Voldemort knew Yaxley had arrived before the Death Eater walked into his room. "Did you find anything, Yaxley?" he asked.

Yaxley bowed. "Yes, my Lord" Yaxley replied. "I found a way it can be done, thought it is complicated. It will take some time for the spell to take affect" he warned, holding a scroll out to Voldemort.

Voldemort flicked his wand and the scroll flew towards him. There was silence in the room while Voldemort was reading the scroll. Then, when he finished, he began to laugh.

"Yes, this is perfect" he said mysteriously.

He would finally have is revenge. There was no way Potter or Granger could get out of this one.


	5. A Red Gleam

**5 – A Red Gleam**

Hermione really didn't feel like getting up that morning. She lay there for quite some time, pondering everything she had learnt about the Rainbow Stone. Voldemort said he was coming for it…and her. Maybe he was bluffing. He might not come.

_Who are you kidding_, said a voice in her head. _This stone has more power in it than Voldemort's wand. There's no way he'd let you keep it._

Hermione scowled and ignored the voice. She knew that it was right. Voldemort would make sure he got the stone back.

She got up and took the Rainbow Stone out of her trunk. She had buried it at the bottom so it was rather difficult to get it back out again. Once she did she sat back on her bed with her legs crossed, staring at the stone. "I can't really be that powerful" she muttered. She desperately wanted to show the stone to Harry and Ron. She wondered what colour they would see. But Dumbledore had warned her not to show anyone. But maybe he wouldn't mind her telling them.

_That's a silly thought, Hermione. Remember what Dumbledore said. No one can know,_ the voice piped up.

But Hermione shook her head. She hated that negative voice. "He didn't, though. He just said that the few people that knew about it the better" she said quietly. Then she rolled her eyes. Now she was talking to herself. "This rock is going to drive me nuts" she sighed. She put the stone on her table while she got changed. Dumbledore had wanted her to keep it safe and the only way she could do that was to keep it with her at all times. Once she was dressed and ready she hurried down to the common room to meet Harry and Ron.

"Take your time, Hermione, we've only got Defense against the dark arts first" Ron said sarcastically when he saw Hermione coming down the stairs.

"Good morning to you too" she replied scathingly. "Besides, breakfast isn't even ready yet" she added, walking over to the portrait.

But right before she did something caught her eye. She looked back at Harry. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But she could have sworn she'd just seen a red gleam enter his eyes.

Harry noticed her staring. "Is something wrong, Hermione?" he asked.

Hermione smiled. "It's nothing. I must be imagining things" she replied before leading the boys out of the portrait hole.

She knew she had to have imagined it. Harry's eyes weren't red. She must just be tired. But she couldn't help shiver. What if they had turned red? Could it have been a warning or an omen? "I'm being stupid" she muttered. "Nothing's wrong".

"What's that Hermione?" Harry asked, having heard her.

Hermione blushed. "Nothing, just reminding myself of something" she said hastily. She must have been more worried about Voldemort than she realized. _Get a grip, Hermione_, the little voice told her, making her roll her eyes.

The rest of the day was a blur to Hermione. She knew she was attracting curious glances from the other students. Hermione always paid attention in class and yet she wasn't able to do that today. Now that Dumbledore had explained the effects of the Rainbow Stone, her mind kept wandering to Malfoy Manor, to her meeting with Voldemort, to her stealing the stone in the first place.

She was so immersed in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Harry stop in front of her as they were walking to the Great Hall. She smacked into him and he fell forwards, landing on the ground. She had to bite back a laugh as she held her hand out to help Harry up.

"Sorry, Harry. I didn't realize you'd stopped" she apologized.

Harry scowled and picked himself off the ground, ignoring Hermione's hand. He turned to his bag which had ripped open. The contents of the bag were now littered across the floor.

"Do you want help with this?" Hermione asked helpfully.

Harry glared at her. "I don't need your help" he snapped.

Hermione was taken aback. Harry had never reacted like that before. "I-I'm sorry" she stuttered.

Harry just glowered at her before flicking his wand. His possessions flew back into his bag which instantly repaired itself.

Hermione thought this was odd as well. Harry had not yet mastered non-verbal spells. But her thoughts were interrupted by what Harry said next.

"I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself, Granger".

That made Hermione even more confused. "Harry what is wrong with you?" she asked, angry now.

Harry seemed to realize his mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry, Hermione. I didn't mean it. I was just annoyed" he apologized sincerely before catching up with Ron.

But Hermione didn't go after him. She was hurt at Harry's attitude. She was also confused. He was prone to snapping at people and Hermione wasn't an exception to this. But this time was different. Something was wrong with Harry.

She saw Harry and Ron stop and look around to see where she had gone. As Harry's eyes made contact with Hermione's, she saw the red gleam for a second time. There was no way she could have imagined it this time. She didn't know what it meant. But she knew that Harry was in trouble. She put this thought aside for now. She would deal with it later. Right now she had to get through the day without drawing anymore unneeded attention to herself.

But she couldn't shake the feeling that Voldemort was up to something. She could feel it. She knew he was planning something. And she could sense his plan unraveling around her. She just couldn't work out what it was. It involved Harry though.

_Of course it involves Harry,_ the little voice sneered. _Harry is the one he is trying to kill in the first place._

Hermione sighed, mentally glaring at her little voice. It was driving her nuts. She was pretty sure she was the only one with a negative conscience.


	6. Voldemort's Request

**This chapter is really here because Voldemort himself isn't going to be in it again for a while. **

**I'm going to miss him *Cries***

**lol, jks. He'll come into it again later in the story so enjoy this chapter because he won't be in it until the end now :D**

**Questions and Answers **

Hermione was unsure of what she was about to do. She glanced over at the pale pink potion on her bedside table with a look of apprehension. She hadn't told Harry or Ron what she had in mind. She knew they would deter her but she was determined to get answers. And there was only one person in the world who could give her the answers she needed. But she was still worried. She knew proper harm couldn't come to her in a dream but it still felt real. She could still recall Voldemort's use of the Cruciatus curse quite vividly from her last dream. She sighed and placed her head in her hands. _What am I doing?_ She asked herself.

She stared at the potion for another moment before making up her mind. _I refuse to back out now_ she said to herself, daring her conscience to talk her out of it. When it didn't she took the potion from the table. She had skipped lunch to brew it while everyone else was out of the dormitory. She took a deep breath before swallowing the potion in one go. She found that it didn't really have a certain taste to it. If you could ever imagine swallowing a cloud, that was what it tasted like. It was odd. It took a moment for the effects of the potion to kick in. Then she started to feel drowsy. Her first instinct was to fight the effects. Then she gave in and let sleep claim her…and a dream she was worried she'd regret having.

Hermione didn't recognize the room she was in. "Definitely not Malfoy Manor" she muttered, looking around her. The room was fairly sparse. There wasn't much there, only a bed, a chair and a small table. She also noticed that there was no one else in the room.

_It probably didn't work. Most likely he has a way of preventing these things from happening,_ the voice sneered.

But Hermione shook her head slightly. "I wouldn't be having this dream if the potion failed. He's around here somewhere" she countered.

"I'm always here, Hermione" a voice sneered from behind her.

Hermione jumped and spun around, already knowing who the voice belonged to. Voldemort stood in the doorway, his head tilted in an amused expression. "What brings you to my home, Miss Granger?" he asked curiously.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Wait, this is your house?"

Voldemort smirked. "Well I suppose it is. My father did own it, after all". Hermione could hear the anger within Voldemort's calm words. Harry had told her that Voldemort despised his father.

"So this is Riddle Manor" she muttered as her eyes swept around the room again. Now that she knew where she was she was rather shocked at how a place that was supposed to be grand and expensive-looking was so dilapidated.

Voldemort ignored her comment. "You have yet to answer my question, Hermione" he pointed out. "What are you doing here?" he asked bluntly.

Hermione took a deep breath before answering. "I came to ask you a question". She was quite surprised and pleased by the way she was able to keep her voice steady.

Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "You made a potion to visit me in your dreams so you could ask me one question?" he queried, somewhat amused.

"It was the only way I could guarantee getting away from you" Hermione replied simply.

A smirk played across Voldemort's lips. "And you were certain I'd answer your question?"

Hermione sighed "No, but I thought if anyone knew about your plan, you would".

"I have many plans, Hermione. You'll have to be more specific".

Hermione couldn't tell what Voldemort was feeling. His face suddenly became expressionless, making Hermione even more uneasy.

"Are you possessing Harry?" she blurted out.

"How can I be? I'm here talking to you" he said mockingly.

Hermione glared at him. "You know what I mean" she snapped.

Voldemort shrugged. "My mind can be a bit slow at times. It would be better if you ask the right questions to get the right answers".

Hermione scowled. She knew Voldemort was well aware of what she was really asking him. He was toying with her.

"Why are you being so difficult? It's irritating" she snapped.

Voldemort laughed this time. It wasn't his usual laugh, though. Hermione had heard his laugh before. She remembered it clearly and it still haunted her. It was high, cold and cruel.

But this laugh wasn't like that. It was soft, low and menacing.

"Did you expect it to be easy, Hermione?" he asked once his laugh had subsided.

Hermione glared at him. "No, I suppose not" she replied. She couldn't stand the look on Voldemort's face when she said this. It was a look of triumph.

"Can you answer my question now?" she asked.

"I thought I already did" he replied. Her frustration amused him. Tormenting her was going to be easier than he expected.

Hermione sighed. "Does your plan to get revenge involve possessing Harry?"

She took a step backwards when she saw the expression on Voldemort's face. A smirk crossed his lips and his eyes flashed dangerously. "Hermione, if I told you my plan then it wouldn't be considered a punishment. Besides, I wouldn't be able to possess Potter, even if I wanted to" he replied.

Hermione looked taken-aback. "W-why?" she asked, still frightened by his previous expression.

"As I found out last year, I cannot possess him without suffering excruciating pain. It's not really worth the bother for me to try" he explained.

Voldemort surveyed Hermione curiously. She'd received her answer, why was she still standing there? He was curious now. He approached Hermione slowly.

Hermione's eyes widened when she noticed this and stepped back. "Don't even think about it" she warned.

Voldemort stopped advancing and pulled out his wand. With a lazy flick, he immobilized her legs, making it impossible for her to move away from him. She looked up at him, terrified, as he advanced on her again.

Hermione shivered when she felt a cold hand brush past her shoulder. "What are you going to do?" she asked.

She could sense that the smirk had crossed Voldemort's face again. "You've received an answer to your question and yet you are still here. I want to find out why" she said lightly.

Hermione scowled. "And you think pinning my legs to the ground is going to help?"

Voldemort sneered as his hand slid into Hermione's pocket. Hermione recoiled but couldn't move. A moment later Voldemort pulled out the Rainbow Stone. "No, but this might" he whispered before moving away from Hermione.

Hermione's eyes widened. "How will that help?" she asked, slightly worried.

Voldemort turned back to Hermione. "Because it is the real reason why you are here".

Hermione bit her lip and Voldemort chuckled softly. "Admit it, you're curious" he hissed.

Hermione shook her head. "Dumbledore already told me about it. Why would I come to you for information I already know?" she pointed out.

"But you want to know more. You know Dumbledore didn't tell you the full capabilities of the stone and you're curious" he sneered.

Hermione scowled before whipping out her wand. Within seconds the binding spell was lifted and she darted around Voldemort and stormed out of the room. Voldemort just laughed and followed her. "Where are you going?" he called out. "That's not the way out of here".

"First I'm going to get away from you and then I'm going to get out of this dream" she retorted.

Voldemort snuck up behind her and grabbed her arms, pulling them back behind her. "That's where you're wrong, Hermione. I wanted to talk to you just as much has you wanted to talk to me. Like it or not, you're stuck here until I decide you can leave".

Hermione's eyes widened. "No, if this was your dream you would have come to me. I can leave right now" she said defiantly, closing her eyes. She opened them again to find she was still at Riddle Manor, held in place by Lord Voldemort.

"Let go of me" she snapped.

Voldemort let go of her arms and she spun around to face him.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked him, a hint of worry in her voice.

Voldemort shrugged. "The same thing you do. Information" he replied.

Hermione shivered. "What could I possibly tell you about the Rainbow Stone that you don't already know?" she asked, silently hoping she would wake up.

Voldemort smirked. "You mistake my meaning, Hermione. I do want to know more about the Rainbow Stone but I know you don't have the answers. You do, however, have access to a certain book that will allow me to access that information" he explained.

"I do?" she asked shakily.

"It's in the Hogwarts Library. Dumbledore thought it would be a good idea for it to remain under his nose…away from me".

"And you want me to get it for you" she guessed.

Voldemort nodded. "Quite. Especially with your untarnished record" he replied.

Hermione knew what he was hinting. This book, whatever it was called, would most likely be in the restricted section. As a sixth year, she had access to the restricted section with a teacher's permission.

"I'm not getting it for you" she refused. "Find someone else". She turned to walk away from him but found her legs unable to move once again. She rolled her eyes.

Voldemort chuckled as he approached her from behind. "You don't use your wand. Why?" he asked.

"Because you'll just recast the spell" she replied, shuddering slightly as she felt Voldemort behind her.

"If you don't get that book for me, Hermione, then I shall go ahead with my punishment plan" he threatened her.

Hermione inhaled sharply as she felt Voldemort's hand in her pocket again. He placed the Rainbow Stone back in her pocket before withdrawing his hand. He lifted his binding spell and leant down to her ear before continuing. "And a word of warning; I wouldn't go visiting me in your dreams again, Hermione. Next time I won't be as forgiving about your intrusion" he whispered before spinning her around to face him. Hermione instinctively moved a few paces away from him, making Voldemort smirk. He blew her a kiss before disappearing, leaving Hermione quite alone.

Hermione shrugged and closed her eyes, knowing she could leave at her own will this time.

When Hermione woke she saw that Lavender and Parvati had returned to the dormitory and were fast asleep. "Must be pretty late" she mumbled.

She felt in her pocket for the Rainbow Stone. But she was confused when her hand found something else as well. She pulled the contents out of her pocket. The Rainbow Stone was there…and a small piece of paper. "Strange".

She unfolded the piece of paper and saw that there were three words written on it. _'Secrets of Magic'_ she muttered to herself. She realized that this must be the book Voldemort wanted her to get. "But how did he give this to me?" she asked herself. She was also curious about why, if he could give her something from her dream, he wouldn't take the Rainbow Stone from her. _Maybe it only works one way_.

Hermione sighed and allowed herself to go to sleep once more. She'd ponder this latest discovery more in the morning. She was certain about one thing, though. She would never, even under threat of her own life, give him the knowledge he desired. No matter what he did, she refused to help Lord Voldemort to become more powerful.


	7. Secrets of Magic

**Alright for all you subscribees, this is a new chapter for you all. **

**For you new readers, here's an extra chapter for you. **

**Nothing much exciting happens in this chapter. Secrets of Magic is the book Voldemort wanted Hermione to get from the last chapter. And Luna makes an appearance :D  
Sorry i couldn't make her all that funny. She's only in this chapter briefly.**

**Enjoy and don't forget to R&R**

**Chapter 7 – Secrets of Magic**

Hermione stayed in her dorm for most of the next morning, pondering her dream and the piece of paper Voldemort had somehow passed on to her. She hadn't been able to sleep that well after the dream as her mind had been constantly wandering to the piece of paper and to how he could have given it to her. As far as she knew, items couldn't be passed between dreams.

She sighed. Thinking about the dream was giving her a headache. She pulled out the piece of paper again and stared at it, pondering what to do next. She wanted to know about the stone just as much as Voldemort did. She did not, however, believe what Voldemort said about not possessing Harry. She had not imagined the red gleam in Harry's eyes and the only person she knew who had red eyes was Voldemort.

She hated to admit it but Voldemort had been right. She wanted to learn more about the Rainbow stone.

And she also knew that Voldemort knew she wouldn't be able to resist going to get the book. But she wasn't about to get it just to hand it over to Voldemort. She would go and find this book. But only to read it. It would stay safely hidden in the restricted section of the library. Whatever methods Voldemort used to possess Harry, he mustn't have perfected them, otherwise he wouldn't have asked her to go and get the book.

She glanced at her watch. She had decided to skip breakfast today. She wasn't all that hungry anyway. She guessed that breakfast would be over by now and decided to go to Slughorn. He was an idiot enough to give her permission to go into the restricted section without asking questions.

Slipping the piece of paper and the Rainbow Stone back in her pocket, she got up and left the dorm, heading for Slughorn's office. She saw Harry and Ron lounging by the fire, clearly not doing the homework that was spread out across the floor.

They looked up when she came down and she could see the relief on their faces.

"Hermione, could you help us with this Transfiguration homework?" Ron asked, clearly expecting her to say yes.

She didn't though. "Sorry, I can't. I have to go to the library" she said before heading to the portrait. "Ask me again this afternoon. I'll help you then" she said before disappearing through the portrait hole, leaving Harry and Ron with very confused and (in Ron's case) offended expressions.

Slughorn was, as Hermione predicted, sitting in his office. She knocked politely on the door and heard a muffled "come in" from the room. She opened the door and Slughorn looked up and beamed. "Hermione, what can I do for you?" he asked smilingly.

"Professor, I was wondering of you could sign this permission slip for me. There's this book I want to get out but it's in the restricted section" she explained.

Slughorn held up a hand to stop her. "Say no more, Hermione" he said, motioning for her to give him the slip.

He quickly signed it and she took it and headed off to the library.

"Thank you, professor" she said quickly before leaving.

When she got to the library, she found Madam Prince hovering around a group of giggling third-years.

She went over to her and cleared her throat quietly, getting her attention.

"What do you want?" Madam Prince asked her bluntly.

Hermione showed her the permission slip. "I need to go into the restricted section to get this book. I have permission" she said.

Madam Prince waved her away. "Yes yes, off you go" she replied hurriedly before disappearing to somewhere else in the library.

Hermione turned and headed for the restricted section, pulling out the slip of paper with the name of the book on it.

"_Secrets of magic," _she muttered to herself as she slowly walked down the row of the restricted section, glancing at all the titles. She eventually found the book after combing the section twice. It was slightly smaller than most of the other books in the restricted section and ancient-looking. It had to be very very old.

She pulled it out carefully and looked at it for a moment. It was bound in green silk and had _"Secrets of Magic"_ written on it in big curvy writing. She skimmed down the chapters and found that there was a whole chapter devoted to the Rainbow Stone.

She walked slowly out of the restricted section, skimming quickly through the whole book while on her way. Absentmindedly, she sat down and found the chapter on the Rainbow Stone.

'_Rainbow stones are extremely rare and powerful objects. They were discovered by a man named Richard Harris _**(A/N couldn't resist, hehe)**_ in the early16th century. Supposedly, there are only three in existence. They hold great power and can boost the power of the witch or wizard on possession of them, doubling their power'_

Hermione sighed. This, she already knew. She kept reading, hoping to find something new. She was bound to. There was a whole chapter one it.

'_Harris gave the Rainbow Stone its name due to the colours of the rainbow being emitted from it. He discovered later that different witches and wizards would see different colours depending on how powerful they were. He came to the conclusion after studying them that only the most powerful witch or wizard could see the rainbow through it._'

Hermione knew this too. She expected that Voldemort did as well.

'_Once word got out that the Rainbow Stones existed, a fierce battle for the stones erupted, with the stone passing from person to person in a similar fashion to the legend of the Elder Wand.'_

That was something Dumbledore hadn't told her. She wondered if Voldemort had killed someone to get it or whether he just stole it.

'_What Harris failed to realize about the stone was that it had its own power. It could do more than just magnify the power of others. This was something that Nicolas Flamel discovered much later. Nicolas came into the possession of a Rainbow Stone long after Richard Harris died and some say it was inspiration for the creation of the Philosopher's stone…"_

"Hang on. What about the other power?" Hermione asked, realizing it had moved on from that topic. She groaned in annoyance. It figured that Voldemort would be interested in a book that gave cryptic messages instead of straight facts.

Frustrated, she shut the book and sat back in her chair. She didn't want to read anymore about this stone. She couldn't understand what was in it that Voldemort wanted to know.

She was about to put it away when Luna came up to her. "Hey Hermione" she greeted happily.

Hermione forced a smile. "Oh, hey Luna. What are you doing in here?" she asked, not unkindly.

"I was hoping to find a book on Crumple-horned Snorkacks for my Defense essay but there doesn't seem to be any in here" she explained.

"I don't think giving Snape an essay on Crumple-horned Snorkacks is a good idea" Hermione cautioned.

Luna smiled. "Yeah, you're probably right. Some people find it hard to believe things that they can't see. I remember Professor Lupin liked my essays" she said.

"That's nice, Luna" Hermione replied absent-mindedly.

"Well, see you round, Hermione" Luna said quickly before disappearing.

Hermione wasn't paying much attention to Luna's farewell. Her mind had drifted back to the Rainbow Stone. This book certainly didn't have anything worthwhile in it. Sighing, she got up to put it back before leaving to find Harry and Ron. No doubt they had gotten nowhere with their Transfiguration homework. And it was due tomorrow.


End file.
